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Some precious friends of mine (we’ll just call them R & K), are fostering to adopt a precious child.  At 3 months old this child was critically injured and suffered several skull fractures at the hands of her birth parents.  The short of the story  is that both parents were so high that neither can remember what happened to little E.  R and K have custody of baby E since March of 09.  And let me tell you, she is precious!  Since March, they have seen her cut her first teeth and take her first steps…and have fallen madly in love with this child.

Today, these friends have a very important court date to decide where this child will be placed.  My heart is burdened and I am praying for God’s will for the well being of little “E”.   I just want little E to be placed in the safest hands possible.

If you’re reading this today, would you pray with me?  Please pray first and foremost for Baby E’s safety and well-being.  Please also pray for the foster parents, the birth parents, the judge, and numerous others involved in this case.

And because I can’t put a picture of E on the web, I thought I’d share this one with you.  It’s priceless.  A little strange, but priceless.

Take an inventory of your life by asking the following questions:

1. Do I get enough rest?
2. What time do I go to bed?  How late do I sleep?
3. Do I eat healthy food or junk?
4. Do I rely on caffeine or sugar or energy drinks for energy?
5. Do I have any unhealthy relationships I need to get out of?
6. Am I bitter or resentful about anything in my past?
7. Am I allowing someone else’s expectations of me to discourage me?
8. Is there a secret sin or sins in my life that I am hiding from God or others?
9. Am I looking at anything on the internet that is sinful or questionable?
10. How much time do I spend online everyday?
11. Am I withholding forgiveness from anyone?
12. Does my life lack any daily structure or routine?
13. Is my life, my desk, my car, or my room filled with clutter?
14. How much TV do I watch, and what kind of shows do I entertain myself with?
15. Am I worshipping Christ and singing and meditating in private?
16. Is there a tough conversation I know I must have that I am avoiding?
17. Is there a big decision I know I need to make that I am putting off?

Just asking these questions will start you down a road where, if you will follow up with honest answer, you can begin to understand what leads you into these dark valleys and what you can do in your every day life to avoid the feelings of depression or discouragement.  There is always a place for solid, professional counseling.  But in my experience, these are the questions a good counselor would ask you.  I pray they are helpful.

July 4 will be 3 months of marriage for Jerrad and me. To be honest, things have been great. We’ve only had one fight and it was because I told him I wasn’t qualified for a job. He got mad at me for putting myself down. That was it. I’ve learned more about myself in almost three months than I have in the last 3 years. I learned how truly selfish I can be. I’ve learned that I can’t get my feelings hurt because he didn’t do something (or did do something) if I didn’t tell him exactly what I wanted to begin with. I learned that I’m much more emotional than I ever realized. But I also learned that I’ve been robbed. Sounds strange, huh? Last night Jerrad and I had dinner with a family where the husband and wife had been married for 11 years, had their first child after 7 years of marriage, then had their second child last year. They are best friends. I think 7 years of marriage with just the two of you would make you best friends, would teach you how to enjoy each other’s company, to find comfort and joy in each other. I’m jealous. I wish Jerrad and I could have met and married earlier so that we could have had more time to enjoy and get to know each other. There are no plans for children anytime soon, but we don’t want to wait too long as I’ll be 30 {{yikes}} on Tuesday.

Right now, I hate church. That’s right, I said it. I hate church. And not for any of the reasons you may be thinking. Background info…when Jerrad and I got married, I moved 45 minutes (about 30 miles) away from my hometown because he owned a house and I didn’t. Plus, his house payment was cheaper than any rent around. Because of the distance of the move, I have had to change churches. It just really isn’t feasible for us to drive 45 minutes to church twice a day on Sunday and once on Wednesday, and all the other times. I had been at Arial for about 10 years. My whole family goes there. My best friends go there. It was home for me. We have been going to NHBC, a church very similar in makeup to my home church. It’s just not the same. I miss Arial. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss the feeling that everyone knows me and my talents and that I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. I miss that everyone knows me and I know their names. I miss having people to talk to. I don’t mean the casual small talk that I hate having with people I don’t really know just to keep from having awkward silence. [By the way, I don't mind awkward silence. The shy introvert in me enjoys the silence. It's much easier than making up something unmeaningful to talk about.] Anyway, I’m talking about talking with my friends about Crazy Lady, and Bobcat, and Burnout, and the list goes on. Things that only we know about but that mean so much to us! So needless to say, church just reminds me of what I don’t have anymore. I’m sad, but a little interested and excited to see what God has in store for me.

And speaking of church, Jerrad and I visited another church. Gasp! It’s a little more contemporary than NH, but we really enjoy the music. The preaching is NOWHERE as good as Brian’s. More than anything, we want to attend a church where both of us can be used, where we’ll have joy in what we do, and where both of us have or can make friends. Making new friends is very important to me right now since I don’t have any around here and I can’t expect mine to always make the trek up here to see me (making friends isn’t always easy for the shy introvert). But we’re praying and seeking God’s will and taking advantage of every opportunity he presents us with.

One last comment on this epic post…I’ll be 30 on Tuesday. I don’t feel 30. I really believe that age is just a state of mind. I still feel 24-25 and I haven’t started to have the aches/pains that everyone said I would by now. My sister-in-law tells me it’s only because I haven’t had kids yet. lol! Looking back over the last 30 years, I have been tremendously blessed. I can only hope that the next 30 will be just as great.

Goodnight. I’m going to try to get some sleep now. That is after I watch a Friends rerun.

And if the adjustment to the mundane hasn’t been strange enough, our quality time has been compromised…by other people!  It seems that now that we’re married, we don’t see each other anymore.  Of course we sleep in the same bed and eat dinner together, but it’s not the same.  The evenings consist of so many errands and the weekends have so many engagements that we stay apart.  Suddenly people have been inviting us to do things individually when we’d rather spend the time together.  I remember my college campus minister, Eric Pratt, warning us of that problem, but I thought it wouldn’t apply to me (like most of his other words of wisdom, I’m finding them to be true).

Last night I had about enough of it all.  I was tired, ill, and couldn’t see any way out.  All I could think about was everything that had to be done and no time.  I even told Jerrad I couldn’t go to church tonight because by the time I cooked supper, got to church, and came home, it would be time for bed and my day would be gone.  As a side note…I am a total perfectionist and a bit of a control freak and I am 100% happy in my marriage.  I just don’t like feeling like I don’t have control of things.

Well, God showed me today who is really in control.  I got up this morning, still feeling a little sorry for myself.  I was driving to work, still frustrated, and hitting every red light on the way here.  I even tried praying.  Suddenly my mood lifted and I began to feel better.  I think my Mama was praying for me this morning.  I know she had to have been, because not long after I got to work, she called to say that she was cooking dinner for us tonight and all I had to do was come by and pick it up!  What a blessing!  It’s strange to me how something so small can be so meaningful and so needed!

Now, if we can just make it through the next two weeks, it will be smooth sailing…at least until something else comes up!

Gunner & Me - 1st Place ProNovice

Gunner and I won 3rd on Saturday, 1st on Sunday and the Overall Prize this weekend at herding trial at Red Creek Farm in Townville..  It’s the highest we’ve ever placed in this particular class.  We’ve been working and training in this class for over a year now.  I’m so proud of him! ]]> http://www.katlynn.us/2008/10/06/1st-place/feed/ 0 http://www.katlynn.us/2008/10/01/dave-ramseys-economic-plan/ http://www.katlynn.us/2008/10/01/dave-ramseys-economic-plan/#comments Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:28:39 +0000 kathy http://tatker.wordpress.com/?p=127 I don’t normally pass along stuff like this, but I have experienced Dave Ramsey’s teachings first hand and know how life changing they can be.  Dave teaches a very disciplined strategy of budgeting, saving, and spending based on biblical principles. 

If you are at all concerned about our country’s financial future, then you should read this, follow the instruction, and spread the word.  Don’t worry…this is not a chain letter or petition sort of thing.  This is merely exercising your democratic rights to voice your opinion.

Dave Ramsey’s 3 Steps to Change the Nation’s Future